Machine for applying fasteners to paper booklets



Dec. 4, 1945.

O. F. GOEPFERT Filed June 22, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Imventor:

0m :1 Gaepferi} @136 (Ittorneg,

Dec. 4, 1945. o. F. GOEPFERT 2,390,095

MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENERS T0 PAPER BOOKLETS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1943 0%1I'6aepferf, BB 0K I @i5 Cittorneg.

kw *NMWN A N NE NQ Nw O Q .Q Max MA QM N w w &w h MN NM 0 7 0 a 9 wNh 0 o xw hn hw nm N Dec. 4, 1945. o. F. GOEPFERT 2,390,095

MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENERS TO PAPER BOOKLETS Filed June 22, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 Z'mnentor: Oiiaji' 60671272,

Dec. 4, 1945. Q E GQEPFERT 2,390,096

MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENERS TO PAPER BOOKLETS Filed June 22, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 0% .Z'Goepferfj I M 6 P 2 115 e1.

Dec. 4, 1945. O GQEPFERT 2,390,096

' MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENERS TO PAPER BOOKLETS Filed June 22, 1943 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Bnventor:

791 5 (Ittorneg.

Patented Dec. 4, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT twee MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENERS T PAPER BooKLETs Otto Frederick Goepfert, Brevard, N. (3., assignor "to Champagne Paper Corporation, a corporation of North Carolina Application J une-22, 1943, Serial No. 491,810 v Claims. (Cl. 1-2) This invention relates to the fastening of one article or part to another. Without limitation thereto, it has more particularly to do with the attachment of a flexible fastener, such as a short length of cord, to one member of a 'foldable cover for a booklet of cigarette papers to be later described more specifically, said cord, so attached, being releasably engageable with the opposite cover member to hold the cover members in closed relation.

Inasmuch as cigarette paper booklets have to be produced inexpensively and in large quantities on a commercial scale and dispensed at a minimum price and in some instances given gratis to the consumer, it has become a serious problem, from an economical point of view, 'to manufacture the booklets speedily and with simple yet efficient closure fasteners which are uniform in kind on the several booklets and readily manipulated in the opening and closing of the booklets by the users who roll their own cigarettes.

The main difliculty in the course of manufacturing the cigarette paper booklets with the aforesaid closure fasteners, in large quantity production on automatic machinery,'is in a provision for feeding and cutting short pieces of cord from a source of cord supply and deliver-' ing each piece of cord conveniently to the position where it is secured to the booklet cover member.

The presentinvention resides in a novel cord feeder and cutter unit that is mountable on a conventional stapling; stitching or equivalent machine in direct cooperative relation. to the fasthe machine to which it is applied.

A practical but non-limiting embodiment of the invention is set forth with more specific as well as general particularity in the following description in conjunction with the illustrative drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is' a side view of a conventional machine for stapling a closure-fastener-cord to a'cover cover blanks; the way in which said blanks are member of a cigarette paper booklet, with a cord feeder and cutter unit of the present invention illustrated more or less schematically as applied to the machine;

Fig. 2 is an elevational detail view of the open side of the housing ofthe cord feeder and cutter unit together with a fragmentary portion of the part of the stapling'machine on which said unit is mounted and a portion of the reciprocatory rack member of the machine that drives the clutch gear of the unit;

Fig. 2-A is a detail view of the guard-lip that is associated with the discharge tube of the cord feeder and cutter unit;

Fig. 3 is an end view and partial section of the cord feeder and cutter unit, on the line 3-3 of Fig.

Fig. 4 is an elevational and partial sectional view of the closed side of the cord feeder and cutter unit;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the clutch gear of the cord feeder and cutter unit and the cooperating portion of the reciprocatory rack member of the machine, a portion of the face-plate of the clutch gear being broken awayto show details of the internal clutch members;

Figs. '7 and 8 are fragmentary sectional views illustrating how the face-plates of the clutch gear are secured to the gear;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view, on a magnified scale, illustrating the form and coaction of the cord-severing rollers of the cord feeder and cutter unit;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in peripheral elevation and partial section of the cooperative portions of the rollers shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of: the cutter blade of the cord-severing roller shown in Fi s. 9 and 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in section, on a magnified scale, illustrating the form and co-action of the initialv feeder rollers of the cord cutter and feeder unit; t

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view in peripheral elevation and partial section of the cooperative portions of the rollers shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a plan view, more or less schematic in character, illustrating the cooperative and coordinated relation of the cord cutter and feeder unit to the parts of the machine'including the supply stack of rectangular cardboard booklet conveyed from the stack, past the cord feeder and cutter unit and into position where the measured piece of cord as fed by the cutter and feeder unit is stapled to the cardboard blank; and the means for disposing of the blank after the piece of cord is secured thereto and severed from the supply string:

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating, conventionally, the stapling of the piece 'of cord to the cardboard blank and the provision for reversing the blank after having the cord attached thereto; and also the conveying of the reversed blank from the reversing device;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a conventional bookletcover blank prior to folding thereof but having the piece of cord stapled thereto} Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the completed booklet with the cover foldedto partiallyclosed position;

Fig. 18 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, illustrating the cooperative association of the booklet cover blank feeder carriage and the reciprocatory rack member that actuates the clutch gear of the cord feeder and cutter unit;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary view showing details of the relatively slidable connection between the booklet cover blank feeder carriage and the clutch gear actuator rack member; and

Fig. 20 is a bottom plan view of the assembly of parts shown in Fig. 18.

Referring now to the draw ngs in detail, the numeral 20 designates generally, the working body of a conventional stitching or stapling machine, such as. for example. a. machine of the type that applies a staple either from a supply of Preformed individual staples or else forms the staples automatically from short pieces of metal cut successively from a supplied length of wireblanks 23. From the bottom of this stack 2'! the blanks 23 are transferred, in an intermittent movement, sequentially on a slideway 23 (see Figs. 14 and 15) to a position where a staple 33 from the head 23 of the machine is applied to and clinched on the blank 28, thus securing the closure-fastener-cord 3| to the blank. It is in the feeding and cutting of a measured length of cord 'for the above mentioned purpose and in the Q along the pair of parallel lines 32 (see Fig. 16)

or a very narrow and relat vely thin, fiat, strip of metal. The full details of the machine are not shown. nor herein described. For the purposes of the present invention suffice it to state that the a the lower end of which is a conventional staple applying element 24 as illustrated only schematically in Figs. 1 and 15. The element 24 coacts with an anvil 25 for the clinching and setting of the staple, also illustrated schematically in Fig. 15.

The illustrated machine is of type known as a stitcher in the general uses thereof and it applies a staple-like fastener to some article. In the instance of the present invention, its use is primarily, but without limitation, in securing a piece of cord as a closure fastener to the cover of a cigarette paper booklet and the staples as applied are'formed successively in the machine from a supply of wire or a very narrow strip of thin, flat metal, as hereinbefore stated. The source of supply of the constituent metal strip or wire is and when folded on these lines two opposed, hingedly attached members 33, 34', are provided for the cover, said members 33, 34, being connected by the middle backing member 35 to which the pasted edge of the pad of cigarette p pers 36 is attached.

The closure-fastener-cord 3| is stapled at one end, as at 30, to the marginal portion and on the inner face of the cover member 33 of the booklet and the free portion of the cord is drawn into a slit or very narrow slot 31 provided in the margin of the opposed cover member 34 where, in use, the

cord is releasably held with suiiicien-t frictional resistance to retain the booklet cover members 33, 34, in closed relation.

The unitary machine attachment for supplying the pieces of fastener cord 3| will now be described. As shown, this unit comprises a housing 38, closed at one side but open at the other side. The housing 38 is provided with a plurality of apertured lugs 39 adjacent its open side, whereby it may be bolted, as at 40, to a frame part 4| of the machine (see Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive). In the present illustrated adaptation of the invention, the machine part 4| is a portion of the aforesaid slideway .28 over which the booklet cover blanks 28 are carried from the supply stack to the position where they have the fastener cord 3! stapled thereto, as shown more or less schematically in Fig, 14. In this particular mounting of the housing 38 the cardboard blanks travel with their margins (adjacent which the cords 3i are to be attached) in close p'roximityto the housing.

Leading horizontally into the housing 33 is a cord feeder tube 42 having a vertical cord-receiving portion that joins the horizontal portion with ample curvature, as at 42A (see Fig. 1) o as to avoid an acute angular turn of the length f cord 3|A that passes through'the tube 42 from the source of supply, which latter, as shown, is a cone or spool 3IB placed on the floor directly beneath the tube 42.

From the feeder tube 42 the cord HA is taken through the housing 38 and acted upon by mechanism, to be presently described in detail; and a predeterminedl measured, relatively short piece 3| of the. cord is delivered from the housing through a cord discharge tube 43 which places the protruded forward end of the cord piece 3| in a position above the aforesaid positioned cardboard blank 28 to receive the staple 30 that secures the cord to the blank.

, In the instant illustrated adaptation of the invention, the cord discharge tube 43 is turned at an angle from the housing 38, as shown in Fig. 14. In this connection, however, it may be here noted that, in some embodiments of the cord feeder and cutter unit of the present invention in machines for different uses. the discharge tube 43 may project in straight lineal alignment from the housing 38 or at any suitable angle varying from that shown in Fig. 14. depending, of course, upon the manner and direction in which the article or part is brought into position to receive the piece of cord from the supply unit. In any case, the protruded end portion of the piece of cord 3| is positioned over the cardboard blank 28 to receive the staple 30 that secures the cord to the blank.

The cord feeder tube 42 terminates within the notches substantially as shown. By this provi- The number of knife edges 54 provided on the roller 52depends upon the relative diameter and housing 38 in a restricted nipple or nozzle 44 from which the cord 3|A passes and enters between a pair of initial feeder rollers 45, 48 (see Figs. 2 and lar circumferential grooves 41 of such cross dimension that the cord 3|A of a given gauge is clamped tightly and appreciably squeezed in passing between the registered grooved portions of the two rollers. Of necessity, the grooves 41 have to be formed with minute precision because of the comparatively small diameter and characteristic structure of the cord to be engaged and caused to travel between these opposed, grooved portions of the rollers.

In practice, the roller grooves 41 may be formed precisely half-round, transversely, but to assure ample tractive gripping of the cord passing between the rollers, the grooves 41 are preferably formed arcuately but less than a half-circle, as shown more clearly in the magnified view in Fig. 13. By this form of the respective grooves 41, the opening 41A afforded by the registered grooves 41 where the two rollers 45, 46 come into peripheral contact with each other, is substantially elliptical instead of being a true circle as it would be if the grooves were exactly half-circular. This elliptical formation of the opening 41A between the peripherally contacted rollers causes a compressive flattening of the cord due to its Peripheral travel of the roller and the desired short lengths of cord to be fed between the co-. operative pair of rollers and accordingly severed. So, too, the number of clearance recesses 55 in the periphery Of the roller 5| depends upon the relative diameters of the respective rollers 5|, 52, and the number of knife edges on the roller 52 to be accommodated.

In the illustrated adaptation of the'invention the roller 52 is provided with two diametrically opposite knife edges 54, but the companion roller 5| is provided with a multiplicity of the recesses 55, although only two diametrically opposite recesses 55 are needed if the two rollers 5|, 52 are deformation within the limits of the longer axis of the elliptical opening 41A.

From the initial feeder rollers 45, 45, the cord 3|A passes into the flared receiving end 48 of an intermediate guide tube that is supported on a bracket 49 secured on the side wall of the housing 38 (see Fig. 2). The cord passes out of the restricted delivery portion 50 of this guide tube and thence to a pair of final feeder and cutter rollers 5|, 52 (see Figs. 2 and 5). These rollers 5|, 52,-have annular circumferential grooves 53 which may be, and preferably are, exactly indential with the grooves 41 of the initial feeder rollers 45, 46 (see Figs. 10 and 13). That is to say,

the opening 53A through which the cord passes between the rollers 5|, 52, as shown, is also ellip tical and restricted, so as to have a substantial compressive and tractive efiect on the cord.

The only difference in the circumferential form and effect of the rollers 5| 52, from that of the rollers 45, 46, is that the rollers 45, 46 are both of the same diameter and rotated positively at the same speed. So, too, in the instance where a number of peripheral recesses 55 in excess of two are provided on the roller 5| said recesses must be in such number that, during rotation of the rollers, a recess 55 of the roller 5| always meets in register with a knife edge 54 on the roller 52.

The knife edge 54 may be provided on the roller 52 in any suitable or approved manner. As shown, this is accomplished practically by forming a transverse, rectangular, opening 56in the roller and inserting a sharpened block 51 (see Figs. 9 and 10 and 11 for details thereof) and either relying solely on a tight, forced, fitting of the block 51 in the opening 56 for retention of the block, or else applying some conventional fastening means. A satisfactory fastening ofthe cutter block 51 is attained by slightly notching one side face of the block 51 arcuately adjacent the end of the block as at 51A (see Fig. 11) and insertin a fillister-head machine-screw 513 into a countersunk, threaded bore in the roller 52 alongside of the rectangular opening 56. The head of the screw 51B thus enters said notch 51A of the block 51 (see Fig. 2) and there impinges the block tightly enough tohold it securely against accidental displacement during operation of the cord feeder and cutter unit.

The arcuate notch 51A in the block 51' or the peripheral face of the screw head 513 (or both) may he obviously tapered slightly so as to have a wedging effect in tightening the block in place.

'In some instances, however, the notch 51A on the block 51 may be eliminated and the impingeplain, smooth surfaced, Whereas, the roller 52 is provided with a transverse knife edge 54, or a plurality thereof, protruding radially from its normal peripheral face to a height precisely equal to the maximum depth of the annular groove 53 in the companion roller 5|; and, in order to accommodate the knife edge or edges 54, the companion roller 5| is formed with a transverse peripheral recess 55, or a plurality thereof, as the case may be, to afford ample clearance for the knife edge. or edges 54, of the roller. 52 in the cooperative rotation of the two rollers. The recesses 55 are preferably in the form of arcuate ment of the screw head 513 on the plain fiat face of the block alone depended upon to hold the block in place. In this connection, it is, of course, understood that the countersunk enlargement of the threaded bore in the roller 52, which receives the head of the screw 51B, is .of such diameter that it overlaps the rectangular opening 56, thus producing a communicating opening through which the head of the screw 513 pmjects laterally into engagement with the cutter block 51.

In order to assure complete severance of the piece of cord 3| from the supply string 3|A, the knife edge 54 on the roller .52 must always come'in pressing contact with the bottom of the transverse peripheral recess 55 of the opposed roller 5|. In time, the frequent impingement of the knife edge 54 cuts a counterpart groove in the recess 55 to such a degree that the wanted cord-severing action fails. Hence, the roller 5| (see Fig. 2) is providediwith a multiplicity of the transverse peripheral recesses 55, so that, instead of having to detach the roller and substitute anew one in place thereof, it merely has to be loosened from its companion driving gear 6|! and turned the distance of one transverse peripheral recess 55 to bring an unmutilated recess into position to register with the knife edge 54 of the roller 52 during working relation thereof.

In the illustrated roller 5| there are twentysix (26) of the peripheral recesses 55. Thus, inasmuch as there are two diametrically opposed knife edges on the roller 52, there can be thirteen (13) adjustments of the roller 5|. The number of recesses 55 provided on the roller 5| depends, of course, on the number of knife edges provided on the opposed roller 52 and the relative diameters of the rollers as hereinbefore described.

To facilitate the adjustment of the roller 5|" it may be conveniently attached to its companion Y bores in an annular series (not shown) to receive the screws 5|A when the adjustment of the roller 5| is made and thus hold the roller and gear securely together.

The receiving end portion 43A of the discharge tube 43, within the housing 38, is flared for easy entrance of the piece of cord 3| fed thereto from the rollers 5|, 52; and to further assure the entering of the cord a special guard lip 43B is attached to the adjacent end wall portion of the housing and has its free edge portion contiguous to the periphery of the upper roller 5|, said edge portion of the lip being preferably formed with a medial projection 430 that extends into the annular groove 53 of the roller so as to act as a stripper and deflector to prevent the cord from wrapping around the leading portion of the roller groove.

In the illustrated structure, the cord feeder rollers 45, 46, 5| and 52 are of the same diameter and each has a toothed gear in a fixed driving attachment thereto. The respective gears are incorporated in a cooperative chain so that all of said cord feeder rollers 45, 45, 5| and 52 are rotated positively, simultaneously and at the same speed. As shown, the roller 45 has its companion driving gear 58; likewise, the roller 45 has its gear 59, the roller 5| a gear 50, and the roller 52 a gear 5|. Each roller and gear unit is provided with an antifriction bushing 52 or some other approved bearing element and each is journalled on a bearing stud 63 bolted or otherwise securely supported on the side wall of the housing 38.

The power gear chain further comprises an idler pinion 64 that is interposed between and in mesh with the driving gears 58 and 50 of the rollers 45 and 50, respectively, while the roller gear 6| is in mesh with a relatively larger master gear 65, said master gear 65 and idler pinion 64 having suitable antifriction bushings 55 or other approved bearing elements and being journalled on bearing studs 61, that are similar to, but somewhat shorter in length than the aforesaid studs 52, yet secured in like manner to the side wall of the housing 38.

By the foregoing proportionate form and arrangement of rollers and associated gearing, the

twocooperative pairs of cord feeder rollers are positively driven and the several rollers rotate at the same speed.

To effect an intermittent actuation of the cord feeder rollers 45, 45, 5| and 52, a clutch-drivemechanism is provided in connection with the reciprocatory booklet cover blank transfer means of the machine for intermittently rotating the master gear 55 of the gear chain that actuates the cord feeder rollers.

In the illustrated form of the clutch-drivemechanism a driving pinion 68 (see Fig. 5) is in mesh with the master gear 55. This pinion 65 is keyed, as at 69, on the reduced end portion of a shaft or cylindrical rotor Ill of substantial cross-dimension, said rotor 10 being journalled in a special bearing sleeve 1| separate from the unit housing 38. and provided with an apertured lateral lug 12 that is secured, as at 13, to the frame member 4| of the machine, to which frame member the housing 38 is'attached as hereinbefore described. In this connection, it is noted that the frame member 4| is suitably recessed as at A (see Fig. 5) for the accommodation of the bearing sleeve 1 I; and, inasmuch as the open side of the housing 38 is disposed contiguously to the frame member 4|, the housing is readily attachable to and detachable from the frame member without disturbing the bearing sleeve H. In thus attaching and detaching the housing 38, the carried master gear 65 is brought into and taken out of engagement with th driving pinion 58 that is aifixed t0 the rotor 10, as the case may be.

Fixedly secured on the outer end of the rotor 10 is a central clutch ring I4 having slightly tapered bottomed, peripheral recesses 14A of polygonal form and in which clutch spheres 14B are placed, each sphere freely movable, except that they are normally urged towards the shallower end portion of the recesses by helical springs (see Fig. 6). Surrounding the central clutch ring 14 is an outer clutch ring 15 having a close but easy slidable fitting on the peripheral face of said central ring I4. Thus, if the outer ring 15 is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 6, the central ring 14 is clutched and moved in the same direction, by reason of the spheres 143 being pressed in the opposite direction by the springs 14C witha wedging effect in the adjacent end portions of the recesses 14A and, between the inclined bottoms of said re- 'cesses and adjacent curved face portions of the outer ring. But if the outer ring 15, is rotated in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrows, it slips by the spheres 143, although in contact with them, and thus overcomes the wedging effect of the spheres because they are relieved of the binding engagement of said outer ring therewith. The central ring 14 is now declutched and does not rotate with the outer ring 15, primarily because the inherent resistance of said central ring 14 itself, augmented by that of its connected mechanism, is sufficient to overcome frictional transmission of the movement of the outer ring peripherally to the central ring.

An annular face-plate I6 is detachably secured to one side of the inner clutch ring 14 by screws I1. Another annular face-plate 18 is riveted permanently to the opposite side of said ring, as at 18A. The details of these face-plate fastenin s are shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The faceplates not only serve to cover the sides of the recesses 14A of the ring 14 so as to retain the spheres 14B laterally therein, but they are of rod 88.

considerably larger diameter than the ring and thus extend marginally above the perigllieral surface of the ring so as to provide a cha eled, annular runway for the outer ring 15. The provision for detachability of the face-plate 18 is to facilitate placing the outer ring on and removing it from the inner ring, at will. The opposite face-plate 18 is made somewhat heavier and stronger than the face-plate l6 and it is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed,'integral, right-angular extensions 19 at the margin of its central opening, said right-angular extensions 19 being fitted in longitudinal keyways 19A formed in the rotor 19 whereby the clutch ring 14, to which said face-plate 18 is attached, is thus fixed to the rotor 19 so that the one element is rotatable by and with the other. The clutch ring 14 is held in place on the rotor 70 by a centrally apertured, circular plate 19A which is detachably secured to the end of the rotor by a screw 19B.

The outer clutch ring is provided peripherally with gear teeth 15A in engagement with the teeth 80 of a rack-bar 8| which is carried by and moves with and as a part of the reciprocatory carriage 82 of the machine that carries an element, such as that indicated conventionally at 82A in Figs. 1 and 18, or a plurality thereof, to engage and efiect the transfer of the booklet cover blank-s 28 in succession from the bottom of the supply stack 21 to the position on the slideway 29 where the closure-fastener-cord 3| is applied.

'Inasmuch as the entire details of the carriage 82 do not enter into the present invention, only the parts necessary to a general understanding are illustrated more or less conventionally in the drawings. The carriage 82 is indicated by broken lines in Fig. 1 and it is shown as connected to the upstanding arm 83 of a bellcrank 84 which is pivotally mounted in the usual manner, as. at 85, on the working body 29 of the machine. A longitudinally adjustable rod 86, the major portion of which is shown in full lines, cooperatively connects the carriage 82 and crank-arm 83, whereby longitudinal reciprocation is imparted to the carriage, and the carried rack-bar 8|, by oscillation of the bellcrank 84 in the regular operation of the machine.

The actuation of the bellcrank 84 is efiected by a conventional cam-crank (usually of an adjustable-throw type) indicated at 81 and to which said bellcrank 84 is cooperatively connected by a The cam-crank 81 is fixed co-axially with a pulley 89 to be thereby rotated, said pulley 89 being belted, as at 90, to a driving pulley 9| fixed on the end of the armature shaft of a conventional electric motor 92 which is mounted on theworking body 29 of the machine, An

electric switch 93 for controlling the motor 92 is conventionally indicated in Fig. 1. This is merely to illustrate that the motor 92 may be the sole source of power, not only for the above described parts having to do with the actuation or the reciprocatory carriage 82, but alsocfor the mechanism concerned with the stapling of the closurefastener-cords 3| to the booklet cover blanks 28; and only certain parts of such mechanism that enter directly into the present invention are shown more or less conventionally in the drawings.

Reverting now to the provision in the machine for conveying the booklet cover blanks from the supply stack to the closure-fastener-cord-stapling position, it is here pointed out that the 15 schematically in Figs. 1, -14 and 1.

sists in the provision of a round inverter bar 95v latter is to convey the booklet cover blanks with the applied cords to a means (associated with 5 the machine but not shown in the drawings) for the folding of the blanks preparatory to receiving the pad of cigarette papers in the completed form shown in Fig. 17.

In delivering the booklet cover blanks 28 to 10 the lateral conveyor 94 it is desirable, and, in some cases, quite necessary, that the blanks be turned over and inverted on the said lateral conveyor. A simple, yet practical and efficient provision for this purpose is illustrated more or less supported substantially in the horizontal plane of the slideway 29 and located some distance beyond the end and extending transversely of the slideway, and longitudinally above the conveyor 94. The bar 95 has end flanges 95A between which the booklet cover blanks pass,a's they travel across said bar. By this provision the booklet cover blank 28 is passed from the slideway 29 onto said inverter bar 95, and as the blank moves to a position where the preponderance of its weight is at the side of the axis of the inverter bar away from the end of the slideway 29 it becomes overbalanced at. that side, tips over, and drops from the bar onto the conveyor 94,

As the forward portion of the booklet cover blank 28 moves into the aforesaid overbalancing position on the inverter bar 95 it is subjected to the action of a jet of air from a nozzle 96 which is positioned so as to direct the stream of air at an angle downwardly upon tne blank and thereby turn the blank IOI'Oibly under the inverter bar 95, thus depositing the blank inverted on the conveyor 94. As shown in Fig. 1, the nozzle 96 is provided with a conventional cut-off and controlling valve 91, and it is supported, as at 98, on the working body 20 of the machine. Air is supplied to the nozzle 96 through a pipe 99 from a source not shown. The blast of air from the nozzle is, of course, suitably regulated so as not to be excessive in force and efiect, but just sulficient to assure turning and reversing of the book-' let cover blank and the depwiting of the same on the conveyor 94. In this connection it is also noted that the discharge of air from the nozzle 96 may be continuous and unbroken, or, if desired, the air may be discharged intermittently from the nozzle in proper volume and timed relation to the positioning of the booklet cover. blank 28 on the inverter bar 95, and by any conventional provision and arrangement for the con.

trol thereof (not shown).

From the preceding description the general operation and efiect of the machine with the 0 cord feeder and:cutter unit of the present invention incorporated therein is quite obvious, In more specific elucidation of the essential features of the present invention it is noted that, as the carriage 82 of the machine is reciprocated to intermittently move the cardboard blanks 28 along the slideway 29, the clutch-drive means of the cord feeder and cutter unit is simultaneously operated by the rack-bar 8| to intermittently actuate the feeder and cutter rollers 45, 46, 59 and.

7 5| 'ofthe unit. This simultaneous intermittent actuation of the aforesaid parts of the machine proper and the attached cord feeder and cutter unit is in timed relation to the effective actuation of the stitching or stapling means of the machine; and the severance of the piece of cord This con-,

8| to constitute the booklet cover fastener occurs instantly as the staple 3015 applied to secure the protruded end of the cord which has been automatically placed above the marginal portion of the cardboard blank 28 just a moment prior thereto. This cooperative and coordinated operation of the machine proper and the cord feeder and cutter unit continues automatically, with due speed as well as precision, at the will and control of the attendant in charge and as 10118 as there is a supply of the cardboard blanks and closure-fastener-cord-pieces to be run off.

In order to assure the holding of the geardriving .rotor I8 against rotation during the travel of the rack-bar 8| in the direction to effect the declutching of the outer clutch ring 18 fromthe inner clutch ring 18, and also to hold the driven gears and associated cord feeder and cutter rollers from overrunning by momentum after the termination of the stroke of the rackbar 8| that eflects the clutching of said ring IS with said ring 18, the rotor 18, as shown, is provided with an axial extension I (see Fig. on

which is secured a brake-drum III, about which is wrapped the looped portion of a friction brake element I82. The ends of the brake element I02 are supported on a bracket extension I08 of the housin 88, and between the supp rted ends and the looped portion an adjusting screw element I08 is provided for varying the tension and frictional resistance of the looped portion of the brake element I02 on the drum IOI.

Because Of a certain. though small, amount of lost motion in the operating connection between the booklet cover blank feeder carriage 82 and.

the driving cam-crank 81 there may be a slight variation in the positioning of the blanks 28 at the place in the machine where the closurefastener-cord 8| is attached to the blank. This is of no serious consequence. But, from an economical point of view and for the sake of uniformity in the length of the pieces of cord fed and cut by the feeder and cutter unit, special provision is made for a definite and positive travel of the rack-bar 8| and a corresponding positive actuation of the cord-feeding rollers of the unit so as to feed the respective pieces of closure-fastener-cords II in preciseuniformity of length to the place of attachment to the booklet cover blank.

For the above noted purpose. the rack-bar 8| is mounted longitudinally slidable on the underside of the carriage 82 (see Figs. 18, 19 and 20).

As shown, the rack-bar 8| is provided with a pair of alined'longitudinal slots; as at I05. and slidably supported by headed studs I08 which are inserted through said slots I05 and screwed into threaded tap ope ings provided therefor in the adjacent bottom portion of the carriage 82. The rack-bar II is also slotted, as at I01, near its and 20 by spring elements I89 that are located at opposite sides of the bar and interposed between cupped end' portions IIO of a cross-head III which is a rigid part of the carriage and deeper cupped end portions II2 of another cross-head iation there may be in the strokes of the carriage 82 in the aforesaid direction, due to looseness or play between the engaging rack and gear teeth, the rack-bar 8| is always arrested at the same go'sition in all of its strokes in the same direc- 0n the strokes of the carriage in the opposite direction (from left to right as to Figs. 18, 19 and 20) the spring elements I88 keep the rackbar 8| in contact with'thestopl I8 until the studs I06 carried by the carriage bear against the ends I05A of the respective slots I08 of the rack-bar, whereupon the rack-bar travels in the same direction with and under positive drive by the carriase to end of each left to right stroke of the carriage. It is during this positive actuation of the rack-bar 8| in coordination with the left to right strokes of the carriage 82 that the cord feeding and cutting occurs with substantially exact uniformity in the desired length of the severed piece of cord and the positioning of the same I for attachment to the booklet cover blank.

The stroke of the rack-bar 8| can be determined with exact nicety and precision by adjusting the stop I I5, which latter, as shown, comprises a screw-stud that works in a threaded bore in an end member I I6 of the frame within which the carriage 82 is located. For convenience in manipulating the stop element III it is provided with a knurled knob or wheel II I which is located between a spaced pair of stop-lugs III on a bracket I I9. Said lugs I I8 serve as safety stops to. prevent overtravel of the stop element 8 in either direction. This limitation in the longitudinal travel makes easy the necessarily fine adjustment of the stop element H5. After adjustment the stop element is locked in position by tightening a knurled nut I28 thereon against the frame member end member H6, said nut, of

course, beingturned and moved away from the supported in any desirable manner in the maend portion that engages and rides over the clutch-gear-ring I5, and extending through this slot I01 is a guiding and supporting plate I08 which is attached to the adjacent under portion of the carriage 82. In this way, the rack-bar is held from independent lateral movement on the carriage but is permitted independent longitudinal movement with relation to the carriage within the limits of the slots I05.

The length of each slot I85 is slightly in excess of the maximum length of lost motion that may occur in the stroke of the carriage 82 in either,

direction during its reciprocation; and, normally, the rack-bar is urged longitudinally from right to left on the carriage as viewed in Figs. 18,19

chine. As shown somewhat. conventionally in Figs. 18, 19 and 20, but more in detail than in Fig. 1, it slides on a pair of supportingguide' bars or rails I2 I that are themselves' supported at their ends on the end members 8 of the frame surrounding the carriage, said frame further including as a side member the hereinbefore described frame part II on which the cord feeder and cutter unit is mounted when incorporated in the machine. I At the opposite side of the frame is a similar member B. The carriage body is probars or rails and are suitably secured to said bearing blocks m.

I claim:

1. In a machine for applying closure-fastenercords to cigarette'paper booklet cover blanks of the character described, including a stapler element and means for feeding a plurality of booklet cover blanks in succession to a position for each to receive a staple from said stapler element, a cord feeder and cutter unit in cooperatively coordinated relation to said booklet cover blank feeding and positioning means and to said stapler element, said cord feeder and cutter unit comprising cooperatively paired feeder rollers operating under control of and in timed relation to the cover blank feeding means whereby to feed from a supply a string of cord of definite length with the forward end of the cord projected over the positioned booklet cover blank at the place where the staple from said stapler element is applied and whereby the applied staple secures the cord, so fed, to the underlying portion of the booklet cover blank, the cutting means of said cord feeder and cutter unit acting to sever from the supply string the said fed length of cord immediately as the same is stapled to the booklet cover blank. 2. In a machine having means for feeding cigarette booklet cover blanks to a closure-fastener-applying element of the machine, a cord feeder and cutter unit provided in cooperatively coordinated relation to said blank feeding means and said closure-fastener-applying element, said cord feeder and cutter unit comprising a, pair of peripherally abutting initial feeder rollers having cooperatively registered annular peripheral grooves providing an opening between the abutting portions of the rollers, the opening being of such dimension that the cord fed by and "between rollers is gripped. and tractively engaged at every point in its length in continuous succession as it travels through said opening which is produced in continuous succession during rotation of said initial feeder rollers, and a pair of similarly annularly grooved final feeder rollers in advance of said initial feeder rollers, one of said final feeder rollers having a transverse cutting edge projected above its normal peripheral surface a distance corresponding to the maximum depth of the annular groove of the opposed roller and said opposed roller having a transverse peripheral recess affording clearance for entrance of the projected cutting edge of the other roller, said cutting edge entering said recess of the opposed roller during simultaneous rotation of the pair of rollers and thereby severing a definite length of cord as fed by the rollers from a supply string. I

3. A machine having the coordinated working parts as set forth in claim-2 and the cord feeder and cutter unit further comprising a feeder tube directing a supply string to the initial feeder rollers, a guide tube intermediate the initial nated relation to said cover blank feeding means,

said cord feeder and cutter unit including a pair of initial feeder rollers between which is gripped and fed a definite length of closure fastener cord I from a supply string, a pair of final feeder rollers between which the closure-fastener cord is received from said initial feeder rollers, said final feeder rollers having cooperative peripheral proof cord to said initial feeder rollers, means liketo articles, said machine including a reciprocatory feeder rollers and final feeder rollers, and a discharge tube leading from said final feeder rollers and projected into the region of the closurefastener-applying element and .oVer a positioned booklet cover blank whereby to position the protruded end of the fed piece of-cord for its attachment to the cover blank by operation of the closure-fastener-applying element.

4. The combination with cover blank feeding means and closure-fastener-applying means in. a machine on which closure-fastener-cords are secured to cigarette paper booklet cover blanks and the like, of a cord feeder and cutter unit provided on the machine in cooperatively coordielement for effecting the positioning ofthe articles successively to respectively receive the pieces of cord, a unitary cord feeder and cutter attachment comprising cooperative rollers for feeding a definite lengthof cord from an integral supply string and-at least one of the rollers having provision for severing from the supply'string each length of cord as fed, means for intermittently actuating said feeder and cutter rollers, said means including a positive-drive-gearing and a clutch-connection between said gearin and said reciprocatory article-positioning element of the' machine, whereby the actuation of said feeder and cutter rollers occurs during the positioning stroke of said article-positioning element, and

means for delivering the forward end of the fed length of cord to a place of attachment on a positioned article.

6. In a unitary cord feeder and cutter, a pair of peripherally abutting, initial feederrollers, said rollers having annular peripheral grooves producing, at the point where the rollers abut, an opening through which the cord from a supply string is carried in the feeding thereof, said openin being of precise dimension whereby to tightly grip a cord of a gauge and compressive limitation within the size of said opening, a pair of peripherally abutting, final feeder rollers between which the cord from the initial feeder rollers is passed, said final feeder rollers having annular peripheral grooves similar to those of said initial feeder rollers and further havingcooperative peripheral provision transversely of their annular grooves for automatically severing from the supply string the length of cord fed by said final feeder rollers, means for supportedly guiding the supply string to said initial feeder rollers and from said initial feeder rollers to said final feeder rollers, and means for supportedly guiding the piece of cord as fed from said final feeder rollers.

7. In a unitary cord feeder and cutter attachment for a machine having a reciprocatory elechain of driving gears for positively rotating said' rollers, and a clutch-drive-connect on between said chain of driving gears and saidreciprocatory element of the'machine whereby said feeder and cutter rollers are intermittently actuated upon the article-positioning strokes of said reciprocatory element.

8. In a unitary cord feeder and cutter attachment for a machine having a reciprocatory l ment effecting successive positioning of articles for the attachment of like pieces of cord to the respectively positioned articles, said feeder and cutter unit comprising rollers by and between which a supply string is fed and having provision for the automatic severance of pieces of cord of definite, uniform lengths, from the supply string, a chain of driving gears for positively rototing said rollers, a clutch-drive-connection between said chain of drivinggears and said reing a pair of driven, peripherally abutting feed rollers having annular peripheral grooves, the groove of each roller being of arcuate form transversely but defining less than a half-circle, whereby the two registered grooves, at the point where the pair of rollers abut, produce an opening of elliptical form, the longer axis of the opening being transversely of the rollers and parallel with the peripheral faces thereof, and the size of the opening being such that a fastener cord of a certain gauge and compressive limitation is tractively gripped by the rollers and thereby fed positively while the cord is within the range of said opening, but without substantial, permanent deformation of the cord.

10. In a machine for applying closure-fasteners to cigarette paper booklet-cover blanks and the like, the combination of means for feeding the blanks, flatwise, successively to the closure-fastenor-applying means of the machine, a closurefastener-feeder associated with said blank feeding means and operating intermittently to feed closure-fasteners in succession to the blanks as the same-are respectively positioned in relation to the closure-fastener-applying means, a transfer conveyor located in receiving relation to said blank feeding means at a place beyond said closure-fastener-applying means, and means for hpping and depositing the blanks inverted upon said. transfer conveyor when the blanks are discharged from said blank feeding means. Y

11. The cooperatively associated and coordinated parts of the machine as set forth in claim 10 and further specifying the blank tipping and depositing means as comprising a horizontal element of round form onto which each blank is moved from the closure-fastener-applying means with the forward portion of the blank overbalancing the rest of the blank, and an air jet directed upon said overbalancing portion whereby the blank is turned and delivered bottom side up on the transfer conveyor.

12. In a machine for applying closure-fastenercords to cigarette booklet cover blanks, comprising cord applying means, means for feeding the cover blanks successively to said cord applying means, cord feeder and cutter means for feeding definite, measured lengths'of cord from an integral supply string, said last named means having provision for severing from the string each fed length of cord and delivering the forward ends of the severed pieces of cord to the place where the same are applied to the cover blanks, a transfer conveyor onto which the cover blanks with the pieces of cord applied thereto are delivered from said cover blank feeding means, and means for turning and depositing the cover blanks bottom side up on said transfer conveyor, said means comprising an element of round form, disposed horizontally above the conveyor and across which the cover blank is moved so as to tilt thereon when the weight of the blank preponderates forward of the axis of said element, and an air jet directed upon the forward portion of the blank wherebyuniform, lengths to the respective positioned articles, and actuating means for said unit, comprising a one-way-drive clutch element having a ring-gear rotatable inopposite directions but act.

:0 ing to drive said clutch element in the one direction only, a rack-bar in operating engagement with said ring-gear and having a longitudinally I slidable attachment to said reciprocatory article feeder element with limited independent movement thereon slightly in excess of the length of any lost motion occurring in the strokes of said article feeder element, spring means normally moving the rack-bar to and yieldably holding it at the limit of its movement on said article feeder 40 element in the one direction opposite to the dl-' rection of article feed, and a stop element set in the path of said rack-bar, whereby to arrest the movement of the bar prior to completion of each stroke of said article feeder element in the direction of force of said spring means, said spring 1 means yielding to such stoppage of the rackbar and permitting continued travel of the article feeder element to the limit of its stroke in the said direction, but said spring means reacting on the opposite, feeding, stroke of said article feeder element whereby to restore the rack-bar to immovability with relation to said article feeder element. in the direction of the article feeding stroke of said element so that said rack-bar is thereby positively driven by said article feeder f element until the completion of each article feeding stroke of said element.

14. In a unitary cord feeder and cutter attachment for a machine having a reciprocatory element effecting successive positioning of articles for the attachment of like pieces of cord to the respectively positioned articles, said feeder and cutter unit comprising rollers by and between which a supply string is fed and having provision for the automatic severance of pieces of cord of definite, uniform lengths, fromthe supply string, a chain of driving gears for positively rotating said rollers, and a clutch-drive-connection between said chain of driving gears and said reciprocatory element of the machine whereby'said feeder and cutter rollers are intermittently actuated upon the article-positioning strokes of said reciprocatory element, said clutch-drive-connecti'on having a spring element therein and a stop element for meeting actuation of the cord feeder and cutter rollers oi the unit, said spring element yielding to permit continued movement of said reciprocatory element on its non-feeding stroke, 'but said spring element reacting on the feeding stroke of said reciprocatory element so as to effect a positive drive of the rollers of the cord feeder and cutter unit by the movement of said reciprocatory element until completion of its feeding stroke.

15. In a unitary cord feeder and cutter attachment for a machine having reciprocatory element effecting successive positioning of articles -for the attachment of like pieces of cord to the respectively positioned articles, said feeder and cutter unit comprising rollers by and between which a supply string is fed and having provision for the automatic severance of pieces of cord of definite, uniform lengths, from the supply-string, a chain of driving gears for positively rotating said rollers, a clutch-drive-connection between said chain of driving gears and said reciprocatory element of the machine whereby said feeder and cutter rollers are intermittently actuated upon the article-positioning strokes of said reciprocatory element, said clutch-drive-connection comprising clutch element, a ring-gear rotatable in opposite directions but acting to engage and rack-bar and thus normally urging the rack-bar drive said clutch element in one direction only,

that to feed the respective pieces of cord from' the feeder and cutter unit, a rack-bar in operating engagement with said ring gear and having a longitudinally slidable attachment to said reciprocatory article positioning element, said rack-bar having limited longitudinal movement independently of said reciprocatory element, spring means interposed between opposed abutments of said reciprocatory element and said to the limit of its movement on the reciprocatory element in the direction of the non-positioning stroke of said element, a stop element for arresting said rack-bar, said spring means yielding to such arrest of the rack-bar and permitting continued travel of the reciprocatory element to the end of its stroke, and said spring means reacting to move said rack-bar to the limit of its independent movement on said reciprocatory element whereby said element positively drives the rack-bar until said element .completes its feeding stroke and upon all of such strokes of said element the cord and cutter attachment feeds pieces of cord of uniform lengths.

O'I' I'O FREDERICK GOEPFERT. 

